Key retainer



June 17, 1952 D. MICHNOFF KEY RETAINER Filed April 18, 1950 IN V EN TOR.

Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KEY RETAINER David Michnoff, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application April 18, 1950, Serial No. 156,657

5 Claims. 1

This invention is a novel key retainer in the form of a tie clasp and has its dominant object the provision of means of the posterior arm of the clasp for swingably holding a key. Specifically another object resides in indenting the posterior arm of the clasp to provide a biased bearing for the head of the swingable key and a seat spaced from and disposed out of alinement with the bearing to constitute means for frictionally gripping the shank of the key. Another object is realized in indenting the key to characterize cam means to facilitate lifting of the shank of the key onto the seat When the key is swung from operative position for use to its retracted or inoperative relation behind the clasp. Other important objects and features will be apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the key holder, illustrating the key in a retracted or closed relation behind the posterior arm of the clasp.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 however illustrating the shank of the key unclamped from its seat.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the key swung to an operative position for use.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the key removed from the retainer, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 6--6 of Fig. 2.

The key holder KH may be of metal or plastic and preferably is in the form of a U shaped clasp having the anterior arm A merged to the posterior arm broadly designated B by the end loop L.

The intermediate portion of arm B is indented to provide recess R constituted by the spaced and rearwardly diverging branches or limbs I and I I and the intervening brace I2 normally held yieldingly and fiatwise against arm A due to inherent resilient action of loop L.

Terminal T of arm B is biased or inclined relative to portion or seat I3 interconnecting branch I0 and loop L and also extends beyond the free end of arm A and is out of alinement with seat I3 which in fact is spaced more rearwardly in respect to arm A than terminal T.

Integral with terminal T is the bushing I4 projectible in opening I in head H of the key K. Bushing I4 is peaned over as at I6 to retain head H rotatable thereon and adjacent biased terminal T which in fact characterizes an inclined bearing portion on which the key K may be swung to its operative position for use or to the back of the clasp behind the posterior arm B. In swinging to the rear of arm B, the free terminal F of shank S of the key meets the inclined branch I0 causing shank S to ride or cam rearwardly until the free terminal of the shank rests against seat l3, however frictionally in that as previously stated, seat I3 is disposed more to the rear arm A than the biased terminal T, which also causes the key to swing on a bias in respect to seat I3. It follows that the key when frictionally gripped by the seat remains in biased but setposition' relative to arm A (Fig. 2) and out of the Way although bridging recess R.

The frictional relationship between terminal F and seat I3 may be overcome by manually urging shank S to rotate relative to the bearing or terminal T in which case the shank of the key is projected to clear arm B of the clasp and available for use.

Various changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof inherent therein.

I claim:

1. A retainer for holding a key including a head and a shank; comprising, an arm embodying a seat, a bearing portion spaced from and out of alignment with said seat, a brace disposed intermediately but forwardly of said seat and bearing portion, and spaced limbs integral with and diverging from said brace and integral with said seat and bearing portion; and means adapted to swingably secure said head to said bearing portion.

2. A retainer for holding a key including a head and a shank; comprising, an arm embodying a seat, a bearing portion inclined relative to said seat and laterally spaced from and forwardly of said seat to be out of alignment therewith, a brace arranged intermediately but forwardly of said seat and bearing portion, and spaced limbs integral with and diverging from said brace and integral with said seat and bearing portion; and means adapted to swingably secure said head to said bearing portion.

3. A retainer for holding a key including a head and a shank having a terminal; comprising, an arm embodying a seat for frictionally holding said terminal, a bearing portion inclined relative to said seat and spaced laterally and forwardly of said seat, a brace arranged intermediately but forwardly of said seat and bearing portion and common thereto, and spaced limbs integral with spaced ends of and diverging from said brace and integral with said seat and bearing portion; and means extending from said bearing portion for rotatably securing said head thereto, said limbs and brace constituting a recess adapted to be removably bridged by said shank on rotation of said key relative to said bearing portion, and one of said limbs constituting cam means to facilitate lifting of said terminal on to said seat to frictionally but removably cooperate therewith.

4. A key retainer in the form of a tie clasp having an uninterrupted anterior arm and a posterior indented arm with the latter comprising offset end portions one of which constitutes a bearing portion for the head of a key while the other characterizes means for removably but frictionally gripping the key shank.

5. A retainer in the form of a substantially U-shaped clasp adapted to hold an article having an end portion and a terminal portion; said retainer comprising an anterior substantially rectilinear arm and a posterior indented arm and an arcuate portion interconnecting and integrally merged with said arms, said indented arm embodying a seat extending from said arcuate portion, said indented arm including a bearing portion laterally spaced from said seat, said indented arm having a brace portion arranged intermediately thereof but forwardly of said seat and bearing portion and having a pair of rearwardly diverging limbs, one of which is integral with and extends from said seat and the other limb of said pair merges with said bearing portion and is spaced from said seat, said bearing portion being inclined relative to said seat and slopes downwardly and outwardly relative to said limb spaced from said seat and at least in part disposed nearer to said rectilinear arm than said seat, means adapted to swingably secure said end portion to said bearing portion, said limbs and brace constituting a recess adapted to be removably bridged by said article on rotation of the latter relative to said bearing portion, and said limb extending from said seat constituting cam means to facilitate lifting of said terminal portion onto said seat to frictionally but removably cooperate therewith.

DAVID MICHNOFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,110,873 Boye Sept. 15, 1914 1,425,089 Henry Aug. 8, 1922 1,473,361 'Iebbetts Nov. 6, 1923 1,619,582 Long Mar. 1, 1927 1,649,402 Gildemeister Nov. 15, 1927 1,749,630 Donaldson Mar. 4, 1930 2,231,308 Walsh et al Feb. 11, 1941 

